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When a teammate’s parent asked for a pair of shoes to rub as good luck next season, Jasmine Kearse knew she was in trouble.

The St. Augustine senior simply couldn’t escape the fame.

Whether it was hitting a half-court shot in a regional semifinal game, or throwing one of her signature no-look passes, people couldn’t stop talking about the flashy point guard, despite the fact she needs a long pause to answer the most straight forward questions about herself.

“It’s definitely been a little weird,” said Kearse, The St. Augustine Record St. Johns County Girls Basketball Player of the Year. “I’m not a big fan of the fame. I like to let my teammates have it.”

This past season, Kearse really didn’t have a choice.

Kearse was a major contributor from the moment she became a Yellow Jackets starter as a freshman. By the time her fourth year arrived, she was one of only three seniors left on the roster. Close friend, and fellow All-County player, Briana Maxwell was the lone holdover starter.

That left the spotlight open for Kearse. She welcomed it, even if she didn’t necessarily want it.

Kearse was the county’s unrivaled top player, averaging 12.9 points per game, 5.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 4.9 steals. More importantly, she led the Yellow Jackets to their third straight regional final appearance and third consecutive district title.

“She could have averaged 25 or 30 (points) if she wanted,” St. Augustine coach John Algreen said. “But she was never like that. She’s never been interested in things revolving around her. She wants to get her teammates involved. That’s who she’s always been.”

Sometimes, if you didn’t know any better, you could mistake Kearse’s flat-line personality for somebody who doesn’t care. But that’s when Kearse will kick over a chair, like she memorably did in a game against rival Bartram Trail, and remind everyone just how intense she truly is. Kearse’s even demeanor is simply the image she’s most comfortable portraying.

It may be tough to imagine, but Kearse was as far from that person as a senior as she’s ever been.

Algreen noticed the change in the summer and was never disappointed as the year progressed.

Part of Kearse’s evolving role had to do with opportunity, as noted before. The other, however, was far less tangible.

Kearse, as Maxwell points out, was quiet from the day they met in kindergarten. But somewhere inside of Kearse was a drive to succeed at the one thing that’s defined her life ever since she turned 7 and started schooling her cousins at the YMCA.

That motivation reached another level this past spring.

Kearse has always been steady, but it was tough not to be shaken by what happened on April 24, 2012. Stephanie T. Singleton-Gilliam, Kearse’s aunt, was killed in West Augustine. Her husband, Frederick Gilliam Sr., has been charged with first-degree murder in the case and faces a scheduled pretrial court date on June 7.

“She was like a second mother to me,” Kearse said. “I was with her the day before it happened.”

The team had T-shirts made to honor Singleton-Gilliam and Kearse put a sticker on her shoes with the date of her aunt’s death.

“It was a big help. Being around your teammates you don’t really think about things,” Kearse said. “It helps get your mind off the moment.”

Kearse dedicated her final season to Singleton-Gilliam. The tragedy also helped Kearse focus on how quickly time was chasing away her dreams.

Since she’s dealt with wearing down physically in the past, Kearse hit the gym more this offseason.

“The work that she put in throughout the offseason and during the season really paid off,” Algreen said. “She was stronger down the stretch.”

All of the work only made Kearse more dangerous for opposing players. One of the things Algreen noticed about Kearse, even when she was at Murray Middle School, was just how fluid she was as a basketball player. So a more dedicated Kearse became a far more dynamic player — one that could turn an inexperienced team into a great one.

St. Augustine finished 25-5 and lost in overtime to then-undefeated Choctawhatchee 52-49 at home in the regional finals.

Also, in a season where three county teams reached the regional finals for the first time in history, the Yellow Jackets were in a class by themselves.

St. Augustine defeated state semifinalists Bartram Trail 76-51 and then 76-62. It knocked off Nease — the county’s other regional finalist — 73-34 on Jan. 17.

“The thing I can say about Jasmine is that she made everyone on her team better,” Bartram coach Ben Windle said. “That’s the best compliment I can give a player.”

Kearse may have had one of the more memorable games of her career against Windle’s Bears the first time around, dropping 29 points, dishing out 11 assists and grabbing eight steals.

“She’ll definitely be remembered around here,” Maxwell said. “I’m going to miss playing with her. She led by example. She may not show it sometimes, but she’s pretty emotional when it comes to basketball.”

Maxwell said Kearse has pretty much stayed the same over the years, but she noticed, like everybody else, a different persona in 2013. She said Kearse was more talkative on the bench and in practice and, unfortunately, on the bus rides to games.

“She was always singing Beyonce,” Maxwell said.

“I don’t think they’ll miss that,” Kearse added.

Kearse is still deciding where to head to college next season, but has whittled down the list to a few schools relatively close to home. She still remembers going to Tennessee for a basketball camp a few years ago and spending the night in her room alone while everyone socialized at night.

“That was horrible,” she said. “I’m a shy person. I know it’s going to take me a long time to meet people and be myself.”

Kearse also admitted she’s probably being a little too hard on herself. She’s never really been able to grip her popularity, and how coaches and opposing players raved about her behind her back. Kearse is one of only a few county players to have recorded more than 1,300 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 400 assists in a career.

“She did what great players are supposed to do,” Algreen said. “She left a blue print for younger players to follow. All I can say is this program was blessed to have her. She did everything you could have ever asked a player to do.”